Electrical switch with improved operating means

ABSTRACT

An electrical switch includes a body having an operating member mounted therein for pivotal movement. The operating member includes first and second parts which are rotatable relative to one another about an axis at right angles to the pivotal axis of the operating member in the body, and the operating member carries a movable contact. Fixed contacts are engageable by the movable contacts, and are supported on the body and the fixed contacts and the movable contacts cooperate with one another in the operative positions of the switch to maintain the operating member in any one of the operative positions. The switch further includes further contacts operable in response to rotation of the two parts of the operating member relative to one another.

Umted States Patent 1 13,560,671

[72] inventor Edward Cryer 3,1 15,555 12/1963 Lesearboura ZOO/6X l-ligham, Near Burnley, England 3,193,628 7/ 1965 Wanlass 200/6(A) [21 Appl. No 824,135 3,223,792 12/1965 Strother, .lr.. ZOO/6(A) [22] Filed May 13, 1969 3,238,316 3/1966 Voss 200/6(A) [45] Patented Feb. 2, 1971 3,251,956 5/1966 Rasor et a1.. 200/6(B1) [73] Asslgnee 2:2 ga firg Lmmed Primary ExaminerRobert K. Schaefer Prior Ma g Assistant Examiner-J R. Scott [33] y Great Brimin AttorneyHolman and Stern [54] ELECTRICAL SWITCH WITH IMPROVED OPERATING MEANS 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 200/6, 200/17 [51] Int. Cl H0lh 19/00 HOlh 3/00 [50] Field of Search t. 200/6,11, 17, 14, 5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,831,073 4/ 1958 Mason 200/6 III lllll l ABSTRACT: An electrical switch includes a body having an operating member mounted therein for pivotal movement. The operating member includes first and second parts which are rotatable relative to one another about an axis at right angles to the pivotal axis of the operating member in the body, and the operating member cam'es a movable contact. Fixed contacts are engageable by the movable contacts, and are supported on the body and the fixed contacts and the movable contacts cooperate with one another in the operative positions of the switch to maintain the operating member in any one of the operative positions. The switch further includes further contacts operable in response to rotation of the two parts of the operating member relative to one another.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH WITH IMPROVED OPERATING MEANS This invention relates to electrical switches. An electrical switch according to the invention includes a body, an operating member mounted for pivotal movement within the body and including first and second parts which are rotatable relative to one another about an axis at right angles to the pivotal axis of the operating member, a movable contact carried by said operating member, a fixed contacts carried by said body, said movable contact being engageable with said fixed contacts in response to pivotal movement of said operating member to an operative position, said fixed contact and said movable contact cooperating with one another in said operative position to maintain the operating member in said operative position, and further contacts operable in response to rotation of said parts of the operating member relative to one another.

One example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an electrical switch,

FIG. 2 is a view in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1 with the casing of the switch in section, and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the switch includes a moulded body 11 which is adapted at one end 12 to be secured to the fixed part of the steering column of a road vehicle. At its end remote from the end 12, the body 11 defines a hollow housing 13 within which is pivotably mounted one part 140 of a twopart moulded, operating member 14. The other part 141; of the operating member 14 is engaged with the part 140 for rotation relative thereto about an axis at right angles to the pivotal axis of the operating member 14 relative to the housing 13. The operating member 14 is mounted for pivotal movement within the housing 13 by means of a pair of lugs 15 integral with the part 140 of the member 14 which are engaged in respective channels 16 in the wall of the housing 13. The part 14b of the operating member 14 includes an integral hollow spigot 17 which extends through an elongated slot 18 in the wall of the housing and which receives a conductive, tubular operating lever 19. The operating lever 19 is nonrotatably secured to the spigot 17, and at its end remote from the spigot 17 the operating lever 19 carries a pushbutton switch 21. One of the connections to the contacts of the switch 21 is made through the lever 19 itself, and a lead 22 which is trapped between the outer surface of the lever 19 and the inner surface of the spigot 17, and the connection to the switch 21 is made by way of a covered lead 23 which extends within the lever 19. The leads 22, 23 extend from the part 14b through a window 24 in the wall of the spigot 17, and between the switch 21 and the spigot 17 the outer surface of the lever 19 is coated with insulating material.

Within the housing 13, remote from the slot 18, the body 11 supports four striplike fixed contacts 32, 25, 26, 27 each of which projects at one end from the body and is shaped to define a socket connector. The contacts 32, 25, 26, 27 each include resilient tags at their ends remote from their respective sockets, (one of the tags being shown at 250 in FIG. 2) and during assembly of the switch the contacts are engaged with the body 11 as a snap fit, the resilient tags engaging an outer wall 11a on the body 11 to prevent withdrawal of the contacts from the body. Between their ends, each of the contacts 32, 25, 26, 27 is of inverted V-shaped cross section, so that each of the contacts presents an apex towards the operating member 14. The part 14a of the operating member 14 is formed with an axially extending bore 28 within which is housed a conductive ball 29, the ball 29 being urged towards the contacts 32, 25, 26, 27 and by a spring 31 within the bore 28. The contacts 32, 25, 26, 27 are so arranged that first, second and third grooves are defined between the contact 32 and the contact 25, between the contact 25 and the contact 26, and between the contact 26 and the contact 27 respectively, and by pivoting the member 14 relative to the housing 13 the ball 29 can be engaged in any one of the first, or third grooves. When the gall 29 is engaged in the first groove it completes the electrical circuit between the contact 32 and the contact 25 and similarly when the ball 29 is engaged in the second or third grooves then the ball 29 completes circuits either between the contacts 25, 26 or between the contacts 26, 27. It will be appreciated that contacts 32. 25, 26, 27 and the ball 29 constitute detent means defining the operative positions of the switch, since the operating member 14 will be in an unstable position when the ball 29 is engaged with the apices of the contacts 32, 25, 26, 27

The generally cylindrical surface 33 of the part 14b of the operating member 14 includes a pair of diametrically opposite cam forms 34, 35 (FIG. 3), and on opposite sides respectively of the part [4b the housing 13 supports a pair of leaf spring contacts 36, 37, the housing 13 further supports a pair of fixed contacts 38, 39 associated with the leaf spring contacts 36, 37 respectively. Thus, by rotating the part 14b of the operating member 14 relative to the part 14a thereof the contacts 36, 38 and the contacts 37, 39 can be opened and closed in a sequence dependent on the shape of the cam forms 34, 35. The surface of the part of a member 14 adjacent the part 14 b thereof is formed with a plurality of radially extending V- shaped grooves 41, any one of which can be engaged by a rib 42 on the part 14b. The rib 42 and the grooves 41 constitute detent means for retaining the member 14b relative to the contacts 36, 37 in any one of a number of predetermined angular positions, the part 14a of the member 14 being moved downwardly against the action of the spring 31 to pennit the rib 42 to ride over the ribs defined between the grooves 41, during rotation of the part 14b relative to the part 14 a.

In use, in one practical embodiment of the switch, the pushbutton switch 21 is utilized to control the windscreen washer pump of a road vehicle. The leaf spring contact 37 and the fixed contact 38 are both connected to the battery of the vehicle, the contact 39 is connected to the side and tail lamps of the vehicle, and the contact 36 is connected to the headlamps of the vehicle. The cam forms 34, 35 on the part 14b are such that in a first angular position of the part14b relative to the part 140 both of the sets of contacts 36, 38, and 37, 39 are open, in a second angular position of the part 14b the contacts 37, 39 are closed to complete the side and tail lamp circuits of the vehicle, and in a third angular position of the part 14!: the contacts 36, 38 are also closed so that in addition to the side and tail lamp circuits of the vehicle the headlamp circuits of the vehicle are completed. The contact 26 is connected to the vehicle battery, the contact 27 is connected in a high speed wipe circuit of the windscreen wiper motor of the vehicle, and the contact 25 is connected in a slow speed wipe circuit of the windscreen wiper motor of the road vehicle. Thus, when the operating member 14 is moved angularly relative to the body 11 and the housing 13 to a position wherein the conductive ball 29 bridges the contacts 25, 26, then the windscreen wipers of the road vehicle will be operated at a slow speed and similarly when the member 14 is moved to a position relative to the body 11 wherein the ball 29 bridges the contacts 26, 27 the windscreen wipers will be operated at a fast speed. The contact 32 is connected to the parking switch of the wiper motor in such a manner that when the ball 29 is engaged with the contacts 32, 25 and the wipers reach their parked position then'the armature of the wiper motor is short circuited to give dynamic braking of the armature. Thus the engagement of the ball 29 with the contacts 32, 25 defines the wiper park position of the switch.

I claim:

1. An electrical comprising a hollow casing,

a two part operating member mounted for pivotal movement in the casing about a first axis,

means mounting a first part of said two part operating member on the second part of the operating member for rotational movement relative to the second part of the operating member about a second axis, said second axis being disposed at right angles to said first axis,

a first set of fixed contacts carried by the casing,

a movable contact carried by the second part of the operating member,

resilient means acting between the second part of the operating member and said movable contact to urge the movable contact into engagement with said first fixed contacts said movable contact and said first fixed contacts defining first detent means for retaining the operating member in any one of a plurality of angularly spaced positions relative to the casing,

a further set of contacts operable in response to rotation-of said first part of said operating member relative to said second part, and

mating surfaces on said first and second parts of said operating member, said mating surfaces defining second detent means and said second detent means retaining said first part of the operating member in any one of a plurality of angularly spaced positions relative to the second part, said resilient means acting between said second part and said movable contact urging said second part towards said first part to enhance the operation of said second detent means.

2. A switch as claimed in claim I wherein said second part of the operating member includes a cam surface which cooperates with said further contacts during angular movement of said second part of the operating member relative to said first part of the operating member to operate said further contacts.

3. A switch as claimed in claim 2 wherein said cam surface includes a pair of angularly spaced cam portions and said further contacts include two sets of contacts, one of said sets of contacts being operable by one of said cam portions and the other of said sets of contacts being operable by the other of said cam portions. 1

4. A switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least those portions of said fixed contacts which are engaged by said movable contact present an apical edge to said movable contact.

5. A switch as claimedin claim I wherein said fixed contacts are engaged as a snap fit in the body.

6. A switch as claimed in claim I wherein said fixed contacts projects from the body and are shaped to define terminals at the exterior of the body. 

1. An electrical comprising a hollow casing, a two part operating member mounted for pivotal movement in the casing about a first axis, means mounting a first part of said two part operating member on the second part of the operating member for rotational movement relative to the second part of the operating member about a second axis, said second axis being disposed at right angles to said first axis, a first set of fixed contacts carried by the casing, a movable contact carried by the second part of the operating member, resilient means acting between the second part of the operating member and said movable contact to urge the movable contact into engagement with said first fixed contacts, said movable contact and said first fixed contacts defining first detent means for retaining the operating member in any one of a plurality of angularly spaced positions relative to the casing, a further set of contacts operable in response to rotation of said first part of said operating member relative to said second part, and mating surfaces on said first and second parts of said operating member, said mating surfaces defining second detent means and said second detent means retaining said first part of the operating member in any one of a plurality of angularly spaced positions relative to the second part, said resilient means acting between said second part and said movable contact urging said second part towards said first part to enhance the operation of said second detent means.
 2. A switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second part of the operating member includes a cam surface which cooperates with said further contacts during angular movement of said second part of the operating member relative to said first part of the operating member to operate said further contacts.
 3. A switch as claimed in claim 2 wherein said cam surface includes a pair of angularly spaced cam portions and said further contacts include two sets of contacts, one of said sets of contacts being operable by one of said cam portions and the other of said sets of contacts being operable by the other of said cam portions.
 4. A switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least those portions of said fixed contacts which are engaged by said movable contact present an apical edge to said movable contact.
 5. A switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fixed contacts are engaged as a snap fit in the body.
 6. A switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fixed contacts projeCts from the body and are shaped to define terminals at the exterior of the body. 